Rising Hopes: Book One - Lurking Dangers
by Mossfang
Summary: After the Last Hope, the clans are thriving, and it's a era of peace. But danger lays just beyond the horizon, and the next generation of warriors must discover their destinies. Friendships will be forged, enemies will be made, and a new prophecy will be uncovered...
1. Alliances and Prologue

_**Alliances**_

**ThunderClan**

**Leader: **Bramblestar – dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**Deputy: **Squirrelflight – dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

**Medicine Cat: **Jayfeather – gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes

**Medicine Cat Apprentice: **Briarlight – dark brown she-cat

**Warriors:**

Brackenfur – golden brown tabby tom

Sorreltail – tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes

Cloudtail – long haired white tom with blue eyes

Brightheart – white she-cat with ginger patches

Millie – striped gray tabby she-cat

Thornclaw – golden brown tabby tom

Leafpool – light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, former medicine cat

Spiderleg – long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly

Birchfall – light brown tabby tom

Berrynose – cream-colored tom

Apprentice: Snowpaw

Hazeltail – small gray-and-white she-cat

Apprentice: Amberpaw

Mousewhisker – gray-and-white tom

Apprentice: Dewpaw

Poppyfrost – tortoiseshell she-cat

Lionblaze – golden tabby tom with amber eyes

Foxleap – reddish tabby tom

Icecloud – white she-cat

Toadstep – black-and-white tom

Rosepetal – dark cream she-cat

Blossomfall – tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Bumblestripe – very pale gray tom with dark gray stripes

Dovewing – pale gray she-cat with green eyes

Ivypool – silver-and-white tabby she-cat

Cherryblossom – ginger she-cat

Molefrost – brown-and-cream tom

Lilypetal – dark tabby she-cat with white patches

Seedsoul – very pale ginger she-cat

**Apprentices:**

Amberpaw – pale gray she-cat with white paws

Dewpaw – gray tom

Snowpaw – white tom

**Queens:**

Cinderheart – gray she-cat with deep blue eyes (mother to Falconkit, dark brown tabby tom, Seakit, blue-gray she-kit, and Mosskit, black she-kit with brown paws and tail tip)

Whitewing – white she-cat with green eyes (Expecting Birchfall's kits)

Daisy – cream long-furred she-cat from the two-leg place

**Elders:**

Graystripe – long-haired gray tom

Dustpelt – dark brown tabby tom

Sandstorm – pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

Purdy – plump tabby tom with a gray muzzle, former loner

**ShadowClan**

**Leader: **Blackstar – Large white tom with jet-black paws

**Deputy: **Rowanclaw – ginger tom

**Medicine Cat: **Littlecloud – very small tabby tom

**Warriors:**

Oakfur – small brown tom

Smokefoot – black foot

Toadfoot – dark brown tom

Applefur – molted brown she-cat

Crowfrost – black-and-white tom

Ratscar – brown tom with long scars along back

Tawnypelt – tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Olivenose – tortoiseshell she-cat

Owlclaw – light brown tabby tom

Shrewfoot – gray she-cat with black feet

Scorchfur – dark gray tom

Tigerheart – dark brown tabby tom

Dawnpelt – cream-furred she-cat

Ferretclaw – cream-and-ginger tom

Duskfrost – black tom with icy blue eyes

Starlingwing – ginger tom

Kinkfur – tabby she-cat with long fur that sticks out at all angles

Ivytail – black and white tortoiseshell she-cat

**Queens:**

Snowbird – pure white she-cat

Pinenose – black she-cat

**Elders:**

Cedarheart – dark gray tom

Tallpoppy – long-legged light brown tabby she-cat

Snaketail – dark brown tom with tabby-striped tail

Whitewater – white she-cat with one blind eye

**WindClan**

**Leader: **Onestar – brown tabby tom

**Deputy: **Ashfoot – gray she-cat

**Medicine Cat: **Kestrelflight – mottled gray tom

**Warriors:**

Crowfeather – dark gray tom

Owlwhisker – light brown tabby tom

Apprentice: Soaringpaw (Pale gray she-cat with dark gray markings)

Nightcloud – black she-cat

Gorsetail – very pale gray-and-white tom with blue eyes

Weaselfur – ginger tom with white paws

Apprentice: Badgerpaw (Black-and-white tom)

Harespring – brown-and-white tom

Leaftail – dark tabby tom with amber eyes

Emberfoot – gray tom with two dark paws

Heathertail – brown tabby she-cat with violet eyes

Furzetail – gray-and-white she-cat

Boulderpelt – large pale gray tom

Sedgewhisker – light brown tabby she-cat

Swallowtail – dark gray she-cat

Sunstrike – tortoiseshell she-cat with large white mark of forehead

**Queens:**

Whitetail – small white she-cat

**Elders:**

Wedfoot – dark gray tabby tom

Tornear – tabby tom

**RiverClan**

**Leader: **Mistystar – gray she-cat with blue eyes

**Deputy: **Reedwhisker – black tom

**Medicine Cat: **Mothwing – dappled golden she-cat

**Medicine Cat Apprentice: **Willowshine – gray tabby she-cat

**Warriors:**

Graymist – pale gray tabby she-cat

Mintfur – light gray tabby tom

Icewing – white she-cat with blue eyes

Minnowtail – dark gray she-cat

Pebblefoot – mottled gray tom

Mallownose – light brown tabby tom

Robinwing – tortoiseshell-and-white tom

Beetlewhisker – brown-and-white tabby tom

Petalfur – gray-and-white she-cat

Grasspelt – light brown tom

Hollowflight – dark brown tabby tom

Troutsplash – pale gray tabby she-cat

Rushflash – light brown tabby tom

Mosspelt – tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes

**Queens:**

Duskfur – brown tabby she-cat

Mossysplash – brown-and-white she-cat

**Elders:**

Dapplednose – mottled gray she-cat

Pouncetail – ginger-and-white tom

_**Prologue**_

The moon shone bright, reflecting on the still water of a small pool. A black she-cat sat in front of it, her head bowed and her tail curled over her feet. Her deep green eyes flickered over the pool, where many cats were shown rushing to and fro. But she was focused on a gray she-cat giving birth. As she watched, a dark brown tabby tom took his first breath of life._ How can the first and last breath can seem to be so alike, when in truth they are more different that you could imagine?_

The thought flashed through the she-cat's mind, causing her shoulders to tense and her eyes to flash with memories of the past. _A brown tabby that had looked so much like the kit that had been born, but much less innocent. With the intention to kill another cat, a white and gray female. Then a black pelt flashing in between them, and taking the death blow for her….._

The she-cat's eyes flashed open as she heard another cat padding up behind her. Spinning around, she puffed her fur up to make herself look more threatening.

"Who's there?" she demanded, her eyes scouring the darkness surrounding the pool.

In response, a dark blue-gray she-cat padded out of the foliage. Her sharp blue eyes looked at the other cat, filled with sympathy. The black she-cat visibly relaxed.

"Bluestar." She said, her voice flooded with relief. "It's only you."

"Did you expect to see somecat else?" the former leader mewed softly, seating herself beside the ink-pelted cat.

"I didn't expect to see _any_ cat." She responded, flicking one of her night-colored ears. "I thought that no cat knew I was here."

"You don't exactly need to be a prodigy to guess what you're going to do next." Bluestar said, chuckling as surprised flickered in the black-furred she-cat's eyes.

"Am I really that predictable?" she murmured.

Bluestar shook her head, a wry smile crossing her lips. "No, it's just that I followed your scent trail here. I put two and two together, and," she shrugged. "I was able to guess what you were doing."

The two she-cats turned back to the pool. For while they went without speaking, watching the gray she-cat give birth to another kit; this time, a gray-blue female with fur not unlike Bluestar's.

Then the black she-cat finally spoke up. "I haven't yet redeemed myself."

The former leader's ear perked, but she said nothing.

"When I sacrificed my life during the final battle, it was not nearly enough to make up for what I had done." She continued. "I wish I could've done more for my clan, serve them longer, help them with their troubles…." Her voice began to trail off, and then she spoke again, the words chocked out. "I wish I had a second chance."

For a few moments silence reigned again, and they continued watching the she-cat giving birth. There was only one kit left to be had, and the gray female was tired and weak.

"Do you really want it?"

The question came so suddenly that the night-furred she-cat didn't understand what the former leader had said at first. Bluestar repeated the question, this time a bit more slowly. "Do you really want a second chance?"

The black female nodded tensely. "I would do anything to help my clan." She mewed softly, her eyes blazing with determination.

Bluestar dipped her head. "As you wish." Placing her chin on the she-cat's shoulder, she closed her eyes and willed life into the ink-pelted female.

After a few moments, the black she-cat began to fade away. In seconds, there was nothing left where she had been standing.

And in the pool, another kit let out their first mewl.


	2. Chapter 1

**Sorry for the long wait for an update, guys! I promise that the next chapters will come faster. As for now, I hope you enjoy!**

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"Lilypetal, Seedsoul! Lilypetal, Seedsoul!"

The joyous cries resounded around camp as Ivypool raised her voice along with the rest of her clan mates. Her sister, Dovewing, did the same, her stunning green eyes focused on the two warriors in the middle of the circle of cats. Lilypetal, a dark tabby, and her pale ginger furred sister, Seedsoul, lifted their heads proudly as the clan called out their names.

It had been many, many moons since the battle between the clans and the dark forest; so long ago, in fact, that some of the kits defended in that battle had been made warriors. Amberpaw, Snowpaw, and Dewpaw were almost ready to become warriors themselves and were apprentices of the proud trio of Berrynose, Hazeltail, and Mousewhisker.

And Cinderheart had kitted.

It had been the night when Bramblestar had finally decided to receive his nine lives; he had refused to get them for over three moons, trying to make sure that every cat who had received mortal wounds were beginning to heal, that the camp began to run smoothly again, that there was enough prey, and that Ferncloud, Mousefur, Firestar, and Hollyleaf were all buried.

Hollyleaf... The name still triggered something inside of Ivypool; something that made it feel as if a piece of her heart was missing. _Stop thinking about her! She's been dead for over nine moons!_ Ivypool scolded herself, blinking as if something was in her eye. _Think about Cinderheart's kits!_

Ah, Cinderheart's kits. Each of them was one of a kind, not the least bit like the other; Falconkit, as Lionblaze and Cinderheart had chosen to name him, was a handsome little dark brown tabby with vivid amber eyes and a stark white underbelly. "He reminds me of who his great-grandfather killed and his son," Purdy had muttered darkly, and his new denmates, Graystripe, Sandstorm, and Dustpelt had all agreed with him, though Sandstorm's eyes had become dark and dreary. The three had decided to join Purdy, as each had had tragic loses in the battle; Graystripe his lifelong friend, Sandstorm and Dustpelt had lost their mates.

Falconkit had no idea what they had been talking about, of course, as he had not been told of how Firestar, his great-grandfather, had died; he only looked at them with his innocent amber eyes. Then he had dashed off to annoy the apprentices, Amberpaw, Dewpaw, Snowpaw, and Firepaw; Sandstorm's last kit before she moved to the elder's den, who had been born only a moon after the battle.

Then there was Seakit, his sister; a beautiful blue-gray she-cat with stunning ice-blue eyes. Dustpelt had commented that she looked like Bluestar; Seakit had puffed up with pride and boasted it to all of her litter-mates for the rest of the day. Usually, though, she was rather timid and let herself be pushed around by Falconkit and Mosskit.

Ivypool hated to admit it, but Mosskit was her favorite out of the three kits; not because of her headstrong personality, her tendency to take charge of things, her sharp tongue, or that she was already stronger than several of the apprentices; no, it was because that she reminded her of Hollyleaf.

Oh, she knew that Mosskit had brown paws, brown ear tips, and a brown tail, unlike Hollyleaf; and it wasn't the black pelt that reminded her of the she-cat that had saved her life. It was the eyes. Those eyes; so much like Hollyleaf's; the eagerness to learn, the pain from her hardships, and so many other things.

She heard noise behind her; spinning around, she saw Foxleap. Ivypool felt her fur starting to involuntarily grow hot. _Wh-what's wrong with me? I've never felt so embarrassed around Foxleap before; why should I feel so now?_

She took a step forward. "Uh...hi." she said awkwardly a few moments later; the group that had gathered around the high rock to celebrate the new warriors was starting to disperse.

The tom smiled and flicked her with his white-tipped tail playfully. "Hi. How are you?" he asked, a grin spreading on his muzzle.

"Good, what about you?" the silver tabby mewed, her deep blue eyes riveted on his green. _What's come over me? I feel sick all over, yet nothing could make my life feel much better right now._

A purr rose in Foxleap's throat. "I'm doing fine. You know," he said after a pause, "I wish that Cherryblossom hadn't grown up so quickly. Molefrost as well; I miss having an apprentice. I wish that you know how it felt how it is to have an apprentice." he sighed wistfully, and Ivypool saw moons from long ago reflected in his eyes.

"Ivypool, can you lead a hunting patrol with Brightheart, Hazeltail, and Amberpaw?" Bramblestar's voice cut through her thoughts and she looked up. The dark tabby leader was padding towards her. "We shouldn't really need to worry about border patrols; no clan is thinking of war for many moons to come." Ivypool nodded curtly, before flashing a small smile at Foxleap and going off to gather her patrol.

She easily found Hazeltail and Brightheart, who had been talking with Mousewhisker right after the clan meeting. Padding over to them, she explained what Bramblestar had asked them to do, and they said farewell to Mousewhisker before following Ivypool.

As for Amberpaw, well, that was a different story.

She wasn't in the apprentice den, nor was she in the elders den, as Hazeltail had said that she had not assigned the apprentice to pick the elders for ticks. A quick scan of the camp indicated that she was not in the clearing.

With a sigh, Ivypool came to a conclusion that the apprentice must have gone into the forest. Going to Dovewing, the gray she-cat extended her senses and told her sister that Amberpaw had gone towards the WindClan border.

Thanking Dovewing, she dashed off and told Brightheart and Hazeltail, who had been asking around as well, and the trio ventured off to find the apprentice.

The silver she-cat glanced at the two she-cats on her left and right; they must have been much more worried for the golden apprentice than she; one was the mother, while the other was the mentor. _All the more reason for them to search harder. _She thought.

Then she scented it.

She didn't have a name for it, but it smelled similar to a fox, a wolf, and a badger; a sort of a cross between the three. Closing her eyes, she opened her mouth and allowed herself to delve deeper into the scent, exploring it, checking for other overlapping scents.

And faintly, under the horrible stench, she was able to taste a familiar scent.

"_Amberpaw!"_

The sound which Brightheart uttered was something Ivypool never forgot. The one-eyed she-cat bolted forward, her white-and-brown tail streaming out behind her. Following close behind, the hunting patrol ran into a clearing besides the sky oak.

And there, at the roots, lay Amberpaw, unmoving and bloodied all over.

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**A bit of suspense, eh? This chapter was mostly catching up with what had happened over the eight moons since the battle with the Dark Forest. Please review, but no flames, please! :)**


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